Diesel destiny?

Automobile manufacturers are on missions to build high-mileage, low-emissions vehicles — but their focuses are varied.

Some specialize in hybrids, a favorite among green thinkers, but the gas-electric systems might be upstaged by sophisticated versions of a more traditional powertrain.

A new breed of clean diesels, such as Mercedes-Benz’s Bluetec, boasting low emissions (reduced nitrogen oxides and particulate matter) and high 30-plus-mpg fuel economy, have a promising future. A key ingredient making this new diesel technology possible is ultra-low sulfur diesel, available since last October.

The Diesel Technology Forum published the following press release, which (of course) touts diesel superiority:

A new report, entitled Is Diesel Set to Boom in the U.S.?, expects sales of clean diesel cars, trucks and SUVs to outpace hybrids over the next five years. The report predicts that sales of both diesel and hybrid vehicles will grow in the U.S. as legislators increase fuel economy and emissions standards.

Diesel vehicles, however, will outpace hybrids by 2012, selling 1.5 million vehicles, compared at an expected 1.2 million hybrids. The report was prepared by respected analysts at UBS Limited in conjunction with automotive industry consultant Ricardo..

Numerous manufacturers, including Dodge, General Motors, Ford, BMW Group, Mercedes, Jeep, Audi, Volkswagen, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai and Mitsubishi are planning to introduce new clean diesels in the next two to three years..

WHY: Consider the following: * Diesel cars, trucks and SUVs provide 20% to 40% better mileage than comparable gasoline vehicles. * The nationwide availability of ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel in October 2006 provided 97 percent cleaner diesel fuel, enabling manufacturers to engineer the cleanest diesel vehicles ever. * There are 4.8 million diesel cars on the road today according to the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. * According the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, America could save up to 1.4 million barrels of oil per day — an amount equivalent to the oil we currently import from Saudi Arabia — if one-third of U.S. cars, pickups and SUVs were diesel-powered. * Diesel drivers also have the option to fill up with blends of biodiesel — a domestically produced, renewable fuel.

Maybe with the new diesels, visions of loud, clattering engines (and the poorly engineered GM bombs from the late 1970s) will fade from consumers’ minds. What do you think?

Question: Diesel costs less to refine than gasoline, so why does its price (roughly 20 cents less than regular gas) rival gasoline’s?